At least Spider hadn’t made any comments about the way my mom looked. Or if he had, I hadn’t heard them. Or she hadn’t minded.
My mom could be a little self-conscious about her looks. I knew she took great care of herself and spent a fortune on skin care, but there was only so much moisturizer could do for zombie skin. Although she was religious about her routine. It even included an extensive vitamin regime meant to supply her system with everything it needed to keep her in the best shape possible, inside and out.
She’d been nervous about meeting Jayne for the first time because of being a zombie. Thankfully, Jayne had been incredible about it, and I believed she’d genuinely come to love my mom. Easy to do, because my mom was awesome, but of course, I was biased.
“I hate to break up the snuggle party,” I said. “But we should get moving.”
“I know,” my mom said as she gazed down at Spider. He swatted at a strand of her hair. “But look at this sweet baby. He’s adorable. Aren’t, you cute thing?”
Spider looked at me. “Spider cute.”
“And he knows it,” Jayne said.
A knock on the bus door put both cats into alert mode.
“Sin?” my dad called out. “Car’s out front for you. Keys are in it.”
“Hang on. I’m coming,” I called back.
“I’m right behind you,” my mom said. “I’ll be back, Spider. You be a good boy while your parents are out tonight.”
“Spider always good, Grandmama.”
She grinned, then waved to Jayne. “See you later.”
“I can’t wait,” Jayne said. “It’s going to be a great show, I just know it.”
“Fingers crossed,” my mom said.
With my mom following me, I headed for the RV’s door. “Thanks for letting us use one of your cars, Dad. That’s very generous.” I wasn’t sure he’d ever let me borrow one before. Not one of the sports cars anyway.
He smiled. “Anything for my daughter-in-law.”
I snorted. “That seems about right.” My mom kissed my cheek as she slipped past. “We’ll see you later at the show. Maybe not until after, but we’ll be there.”
“And then for dinner,” my mom reminded me.
I nodded. “It’s a plan.” Then just for good luck, I added, “Break a leg.”
Chapter Ten
Jayne
Vegas felt like my kind of town. Just thinking that made me feel a little traitorous. The North Pole was definitely home and always would be, but the glitz and glamour of Vegas was undeniably fun.
Something about the place charged me up. Maybe it was that whole “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” bit. Royals didn’t ever really get that option. No matter where they were. Even in the palace.
Normally for an official store visit, I would have worn something appropriate for that kind of royal duty. A navy pantsuit with a silk blouse or an outfit similar.
But this was Las Vegas, and we were going to see Dead Sexy right after the store visit, and I was feeling, well, a little wild. Also, Sin and I were basically having a second honeymoon, and that kind of energy made me want to wear something more flattering than a standard navy pantsuit.
I mean, there was a navy pantsuit on my side of the RV’s wardrobe, but I was not putting it on. Not just yet. It was too early in our relationship for my husband to forget I could be hot. Not that he had. But there would be other places that suit would get worn.
Vegas was not it.
That was why I was currently in black satin cigarette pants and an iridescent blue sequined spaghetti-strap tank top that nearly matched the color of my hair. I’d paired the outfit with strappy black heels, and the look was on point. Super sexy and very Vegas.
For the actual store visit, I was going to add the matching black satin suit jacket, which definitely made the outfit appropriate for the royal duty part of the evening. At least for Vegas. If this was Boise, the employees would probably look at me like I’d OD’ed on my aunt Martha’s eggnog fudge if I showed up in this.
But in this town, I had a feeling no one would bat an eye.
Sin had given the outfit a second look, however, and that made me feel like I’d accomplished what I’d set out to do. He was still looking, but the fact that he was behind the wheel of his dad’s really expensive sports car was starting to make me think I should have already put the jacket on.
I pointed at the windshield. “Sin, honey, eyes on the road. If you wreck this car, your dad will kill us.”
“No, he won’t. He’ll kill me. He won’t say a word to you.”
“Okay, great, but that’s not going to make me feel better.”
He sighed. “I’m watching the road. But it’s hard to do when my wife looks like a supermodel.”
I grinned. “You don’t look bad yourself. Kind of like the supermodel’s sexy European boyfriend.”
His brow wrinkled in amusement. “European?”
“Well, you’re doing that whole dark suit, white shirt, no tie thing. Always looks European to me.”
“I did bring a tie for the store. That one with the House of Frost crest. And I’m wearing my lapel pin and my fancy fake watch.”
I frowned. “What fancy fake watch?”
“The one Davide put in the jewelry case. Wasn’t I supposed to wear that?”
I snorted. “Yes, you were, but that watch isn’t a fake.”
“What?” He sat up straighter. “All of your royal jewelry is fake.”
“It is, but you can’t really fake a Patek Philippe with that many diamonds on it and still have people think it’s real.”
His gaze darted from the road to his wrist, then back again. “Are you kidding me? How much is this thing worth?”
I thought about that for a moment. “I’d say…about as much as this car?”
He seemed to be gripping the steering wheel a little tighter suddenly, which I liked, but the look on his face told me it wasn’t from some urgent need to drive more safely. “You have to be kidding.”
“Nope.”
“And I thought my parents were crazy.” He shook his head. “Wait. Does your father know Davide gave me this watch?”
“Of course. I mean, I’m sure he does in a big-picture kind of way. He would have approved the purchase, but Davide is responsible for my royal jewels and now, by default, yours. At least until you get a jeweler of your own. Unless you’re happy to share Davide with me.”
“I’m fine with Davide, I do not need my own jeweler, but we’re getting a little off track. Back to the watch. It’s kind of crazy that it’s so expensive and I’m wearing it.”
“Well, we’re driving a car that’s crazy expensive.”
He thought a moment. “Okay, I get it now. I’m just borrowing this watch for the trip.”
“No, it’s yours. You can wear it whenever you like, but usually the fancy stuff only gets brought out for royal functions. Although my great-great-great-aunt Lynette always used to wear a diamond and moonstone tiara that matched the diamond and moonstone collar she had made for her trained reindeer. I mean always. Even to breakfast.”
“Galaxy, right?”
I looked at him in amazement. “I can’t believe you remembered the reindeer’s name.”
“I told you I paid attention in my royalty classes. And to you, obviously.”
I grinned and reached over to give his leg a little squeeze. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too. But next time you give me something to wear that could double as a down payment on a small nation, let me know?”
“Will do.” He was so funny. And so handsome.
He winked at me. “You look fantastic, by the way.”
He’d already said that, but I wasn’t going to mention he was repeating himself. “Thanks. I feel fantastic. Hot husband, hot car, fun night ahead…it’s like all my ducks are in a row and they’ve got diamond-encrusted beaks.”
“That might make it hard for them to eat their dinner.”
I snort-la
ughed. “You are most definitely the man for me.”
He grinned. “I know what you mean though.” He glanced over. “Hot wife, hot car, great night ahead. Not to quote Titanic or anything, but I feel like the king of the world.”
“Wait until you get in the store and all the employees start treating you like you can walk on water.” I crossed my legs in what little space I had. Lamborghinis were high on style, low on cabin room. “Just don’t get a big head. That’s all I ask.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.” He paused a moment. “Hey, they know I’m a necromancer, right? That’s pretty common knowledge, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Why? Worried about how some of them might react?”
“Well, you know some of the citizens of the realm weren’t too keen.”
“That was only a small faction.”
“I know. Still has me thinking.”
“I promise you, none of these employees are going to feel that way.”
“You sound awfully sure of that.”
I tipped my head to the side to see him better. “Okay, maybe I shouldn’t promise none of them will because I can’t read minds, but let’s just say I’d be very surprised. For one thing, if they really do think that way, they would be stupid to let it show. For another, the people that work in the shops are generally there because they’ve earned the position with hard work and dedication. Not only do they want to be there, they love their jobs, they love the North Pole, and they love everything about it.”
“Meaning they love you.”
“Meaning they already love you.”
He nodded, clearly taking it all in.
“These are the people who would have happily attended our wedding if given the chance. You have nothing to worry about.”
He shrugged a little. “I wasn’t really worried. Just curious, I guess.”
“I understand.” We were just entering the main part of the city now, and the sun was going down, painting the sky with streaks of orange. I sat back to enjoy the lights. I couldn’t help but smile.
There was so much to look at. All the big casinos and hotels, all the tourists, and all the other outrageous characters that made up the strip. I definitely hadn’t seen enough of it the first time we were here.
The GPS on Sin’s phone gave him a few commands, and before long, we were pulling into the valet parking area at the Fashion Show Mall, which was where the toy store was located. We hadn’t come by here on our first visit to Vegas, as there had just been too much else to do, but my dad had told me the shop was located near the Lego store.
Seemed like a good spot to me, considering they both catered to a similar audience.
Valet parking this car, however, did not seem like a good thing. “Are you sure it’s okay to let someone else behind the wheel of this machine?”
Sin nodded. “It’s Vegas. These guys get all kinds of cars coming through. They know better than to do anything dumb.”
“Good point.” It still seemed a little crazy to turn over the keys, but then I realized the car ahead of us was a Rolls-Royce.
If they could valet that, we could valet the Lambo.
The Lambo. Like I was so used to being in a machine like this, I couldn’t be bothered to use its full name.
Once inside the mall, we checked the directory and found where we needed to go. We were definitely there to boost morale, but I knew my dad and uncle were going to want a report on how the store looked on the outside, if everything was stocked, what the level of cleanliness was like, how the shimmer was working, all of that.
Shimmer was our term for the winter magic we used in the stores. Generally, the most capable of the employees on shift would use their gifts to make it snow. Since the snow was magical, it dissolved instantly as it touched the floor, leaving behind no mess, dampness, or accumulation. Customers loved it, and our stores were known for it. We’d started out just doing it on the weekends, but spontaneous shimmers were becoming more popular.
I was sure everything, including the shimmer, would be perfect. After all, the employees knew we were coming. Why wouldn’t it be?
We weren’t in the store yet when an older woman came out to greet us. Pale blue hair, pointed ears, rhinestone glasses. Absolutely adorable with a nice touch of boss lady throw in. She gave a little bow. “Good evening, your highnesses. It is an absolute pleasure to have you. Welcome to the Las Vegas location. I’m Miranda Winterberry, the manager.”
“We’re so happy to be here.” I extended my hand. Shaking hands was only acceptable if begun by the highest-ranking royal in attendance. That was me.
She gladly took my hand, her smile warming even further. Maybe she hadn’t been sure I’d want to shake hands.
Sin shook her hand next. “It’s very nice to meet you, Miranda. Have you been the manager long?”
“Thank you, Prince Consort. This is my fourth year. I’d love to show you the store and introduce you to all the rest of the employees whenever you’re ready.”
“Perfect,” I said. “We’d love to meet them. Lead the way.”
An hour later, we’d met everyone, seen every inch of the store, taken lots of pictures and were now headed back to the valet stand. The store had been irreproachably perfect, as I’d imagined it would be. The shimmer had been amazing. Fat, fluffy flakes that drifted slowly enough that each flake could be appreciated for its intricate beauty.
Also as predicted, the employees, especially the female ones, had gazed at Sin with the kind of starry-eyed adoration usually reserved for boy bands or Hollywood celebrities.
He held out his ticket for the valet on duty to retrieve the car.
As the young man jogged away, I looked up at Sin. He had a half-smile on his face and a dreamy look in his eyes. Adoration had a way of doing that to you. “What did you think?”
“Hmm?” His brows lifted as he looked at me.
“About your first store visit? What did you think?”
“It was great. Such nice people. And the store was perfect. I hate to say it, but it was probably better organized and stocked than the one in Nocturne Falls.”
I smirked at his comment. “You know that’s because we paid them a visit. I guarantee you that if we told Juniper and Buttercup we were headed there for an official visit, they’d have that place whipped into shape too.”
“Yeah, that’s true.” He sighed, a happy little sound. “Very friendly staff.”
I laughed. “Very flirty staff, you mean.”
He made a face. “Flirty?”
“Don’t act like you didn’t notice.”
His grin gave him away. “It wasn’t like I was encouraging them.”
“I know. But I warned you. Becoming Prince Consort has made you irresistible.”
He put his arm around me and tugged me closer. “Are you saying I wasn’t already irresistible?”
“You absolutely were. To me. But now that you have a royal title…” I shrugged. “I saw you smiling. I know you were basking in the adulation.”
The valet arrived with the car.
Sin kissed my temple, then shook his head and sighed. “Now you have me worried.”
“About what?”
“My giant ego fitting into the car.”
Chapter Eleven
Sinclair
I loved teasing Jayne. She was always a good sport about it, and the banter between us was like the glaze on an already delicious doughnut.
I checked myself out in the Lamborghini’s rearview mirror, patting my hair gently. “Look at that. My head just fits.”
She poked me in the shoulder, laughing softly. “You’re so silly.”
I wasn’t ready to let it go. “What do you think sounds better? The Prince Consort’s Crazies or Sin’s Sinners?”
She was giving me that look like I’d lost my mind. “For what?”
“The name of my fan club.”
This time she laughed out loud, shaking her head. “Wait until I tell your mother how fame has affected you.”
“Speaking of, we’d better get moving.” I got us back on the strip and headed for the Oasis, the hotel casino my parents’ show had called home for the last five years. Before that, they’d performed at a few other smaller casinos, honing their tricks and timing into the show it was today.
“Are we going to be late?”
“No, we should be fine.”
“We still have to go to Will Call and pick up the tickets. Won’t it be mobbed with the new finale happening?”
“Maybe.” I pulled into valet parking at the Oasis. “But they won’t start without us.” That wasn’t true, but I couldn’t keep from teasing her. “I am the Prince Consort, after all.”
She rolled her eyes while smiling.
I handed the keys to the valet, got my ticket, then went around to help my gorgeous wife out of the low car. She could manage on her own, but it was the gentlemanly thing to do. Not to mention that if an opportunity arose to let everyone around us know that she was with me, I wasn’t going to miss it.
I gave her my hand as she unfolded herself from the passenger’s seat. She had her jacket over her arm along with her sparkly little evening clutch. She couldn’t have looked more beautiful.
“All set?” I asked.
“Yep. Lead the way. Just not too fast. Heels.”
I offered her my arm, which she took. “I could carry you.”
“Don’t you dare, Sinclair Crowe. Not unless you want a good zap of cold.”
I’d never have done it, but like I said, I loved to tease her. “Just trying to help.” We weren’t far from the theater.
We also weren’t the only ones headed that way. Quite a few people were streaming toward it.
Thankfully, it only took a few minutes of waiting in line to get our tickets and then make our way to the entrance, where we waited to be ushered to our seats, which were second row.
The casino kept a firm grip on the first row, using those tickets as gifts for the big rollers who dropped serious cash. I didn’t begrudge them. Second row was just as good, and my parents needed the casino happy.
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